Papua – The head of the Papuan People’s Information Barn or LIRA Papua said that with various brutal and heinous acts and the hostage-taking of Susi Air pilot Philips Mehrtens, which has been going on for more than a month, it can be categorized as the Papuan Separatist Terrorist Group (KST Papua) as a source of security problems in Papua.
This was conveyed by Steve Mara when interviewed regarding the hostage of Susi Air Pilot Philips Mehrtens who until now has not been released by KST Papua and the security conditions in the Papua region which always receive terror from KST, in Papua Thursday 23/3/2023.
“By looking at the various actions taken by KST Papua, such as the hostage-taking they carried out, then attacks on civil society, burning government buildings, school facilities and health facilities, I think I can categorize them as a group that always causes problems in Papua province. No matter how good the rules made by the provincial government or the central government, no matter how good the policies we want to adopt, no matter how good the theory of peace we want to apply in Papua, but when groups that don’t give people a sense of security still exist, then as long as also Papua cannot be developed properly and there will be no equitable distribution of development in the Province of Papua,” explained Steve Mara.
The Chairperson of the Papua Province LIRA added that the hostage-taking carried out by KST Papua could create a negative stigma against the Papuan people and make Papua a bad name before the international community, especially the government and the people of New Zealand.
“In my view, the KST Papua group is carrying out a very heinous act, and this action is very shameful, and it gives a negative stigma to Papuans, especially from the New Zealand government, New Zealanders to Papuans that we Papuans are evil people who have no humanity. . The reason is that it’s been a month since the New Zealand pilot was held hostage and only photos of him were shared wearing inappropriate clothes, shorts, short sleeves, and sleeping in the middle of the forest. This is a disgraceful act by an armed criminal group,” said Steve Mara.
In addition, Steve Mara assessed that all the brutal and heinous acts carried out by KST Papua had caused extraordinary anxiety because the community felt afraid when they wanted to carry out their daily activities.
With the various brutal and heinous actions carried out by KST Papua, the acts of assault and killing of civilians, I think this makes people uneasy, especially in several areas where this group exists. Then, with the presence of this group in these areas, it has made people afraid to leave their homes to do their activities, and some people even had to flee to several other districts and cities, and even had to run to the forest because they were afraid of this group, which has given the people of Papua a sense of insecurity, said the chairman. LIRA Papua Province.
Steve Mara hopes that KST Papua will be immediately followed up firmly so that the Papuan people will feel safe and can carry out their daily activities peacefully.
People are afraid to leave their homes, are afraid to go to health facilities, are afraid to go to school to study and teach, and some are even afraid to go to worship. So, in my opinion, this group is causing anxiety and there must be firm action from the security forces to reduce and provide a sense of security to the people of Papua, concluded Steve Mara.
